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Can birth control affect muscle growth?
Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated
The short answer
It can be a factor, according to Nikkiey. On Ep. 81 she explains that birth control alters hormones that matter for muscle growth, especially testosterone. Women already have far less testosterone than men, so lowering it further adds another variable. Responses vary widely, so talk to your doctor before changing anything.
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Nikkiey on how birth control may affect testosterone and muscle gains
Plays from 18:23 · Ep. 81: Does Birth Control Affect Weight Loss and Muscle?
Why lower testosterone adds another hurdle for women building muscle
Plays from 18:47 · Ep. 81: Does Birth Control Affect Weight Loss and Muscle?
Responses vary, so take it to your doctor and advocate for yourself
Plays from 19:20 · Ep. 81: Does Birth Control Affect Weight Loss and Muscle?
Nikkiey explains why birth control decisions belong with your doctor
Plays from 3:22 · Ep. 81: Does Birth Control Affect Weight Loss and Muscle?
The full answer
On Ep. 81 of The WarriorBabe Show, Nikkiey looks at birth control and muscle because the question kept coming up from listeners. She points to research comparing muscle gains over a 10-week period between women taking birth control and a control group who weren't. She ties the difference mainly to how birth control affects hormones, testosterone in particular, which she calls a really important hormone for building muscle.
Her reasoning is simple. Women don't have much testosterone to begin with, which is already part of why women can't build a lot of muscle in general. If something lowers it further, that is one more variable working against you. So if you've been training hard and the muscle isn't coming, this may be part of the picture. It isn't a verdict on your effort, and it's not a reason to stop training.
Nikkiey is clear about her limits. She says she is not an OB-GYN or a doctor, and that deciding whether to stay on or come off birth control is outside her scope of practice. She also stresses that everyone responds to birth control differently, and those responses vary widely. She presents this as perspective, not a prescription.
What she suggests instead:
- If any of this resonates, take it to your doctor before you make changes.
- Build a game plan together if you're currently on it.
- Advocate for yourself. If you want to explore coming off it, you're allowed to raise that and ask questions.
From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
Women also ask
More questions →Hormones & Hormone Health
Does birth control cause weight gain?
Usually not by much. On Ep. 81, Nikkiey says studies suggest birth control doesn't cause significant weight gain. It can be one variable because it affects hormones, but she sees it as rarely the main reason. Diet, alcohol, sleep, water and daily movement usually weigh more heavily.
Read the answer →
Hormones & Hormone Health
Can stress stop me from losing belly fat?
Yes, according to Nikkiey. On The WarriorBabe Show she explains that chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated, which she says increases fat storage around the midsection and drives cravings for comfort foods. Even with solid macros and training, a body stuck in survival mode can hold on to fat, so managing stress becomes part of the plan.
Read the answer →
Hormones & Hormone Health
Does strength training raise cortisol?
Yes, but only briefly. Nikkiey explains that a hard strength session spikes cortisol during and right after the workout to give you energy, then it drops back down. That is healthy stress. Over time, consistent lifting with good recovery, sleep, hydration and food helps lower baseline cortisol. The real problem is chronic cortisol, not lifting itself.
Read the answer →
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21 minDoes Birth Control Affect Weight Loss and Muscle?
Episode 81 · Jul 31, 2023